Sakura
by Frog-Princess1
Summary: A short L/J fic with plenty of fluff, and a little H/G towards the end. James finds the perfect gift for Lily. Please read & review!
1. Part One

Sakura  
  
By Frog-Princess  
(ginny@darkcastle.com)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the music box (which is my mother's, actually), and the plot. Characters, places and such are all property of J. K. Rowling. Emily's just a fan. ^_^  
  
A/N: Fluffy goodness... A L/J fic with a bit of H/G on the side. My mother really does have the exact music box I'm describing, and my grandmother Shimiko, who is Japanese, used to have one like it also. My mother was really emotional when she opened up a Christmas present from her boyfriend and it was playing the song "Sakura." It may sound lame, but the meaning this conveyed to me somehow got turned into a story idea.  
  
It's a little on the predictable side at times, and it's also pretty short. Also, it's not supposed to be realistic, it was just an idea I had. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
"Lily?"  
  
James Potter was staring at her, quite concerned. The sound of his voice snapped Lily back to reality. "Sorry," she quickly apologized. "I was just... thinking about something."  
  
She shook her head and tried to focus on her homework. James heard his girlfriend humming softly to herself as she carefully loaded her quill with ink. The two were studying for the final exams that all seventh years had to take.  
  
"What is that?" James asked suddenly.  
  
"What's... what, sorry?" Lily replied, lost.  
  
"That song... what's it called?"  
  
"Oh." Lily blushed. She hated for people to hear her sing. What's more, she hadn't even been fully aware that she _was_ singing. But, then again, James was different...  
  
"It's called Sakura. It means cherry blossom in Japanese."  
  
James laughed. "And since when do you speak Japanese?"  
  
"Well... I don't," Lily admitted, smiling. "Though I used to try. My mother's best friend, Sumiko, was from Japan. I used to see her nearly every day, and she'd try to teach me the Japanese alphabet and numbers. I guess I was too little to really remember much of it."  
  
James nodded, though he was getting the feeling Lily wasn't telling him everything. He took her hand. "Is something bothering you?" Lily shook her head and opened her mouth to respond, but James interrupted her. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but please... don't lie about it. I can _always_ tell." He gave her a mischevious wink, and Lily had to laugh.  
  
"Promise you won't make a big deal out of it?"  
  
James pretended to be shocked. He was cute when he did that. "When have I ever made a big deal of things? You can tell me whatever's on your mind, honest."  
  
Lily considered. "Well... okay."  
  
James sat back in his seat patiently, his eyes bright. Lily smiled and took his hand again.  
  
"One day, when Sumiko came to visit my mother... she brought with her a jewelry box from Japan. And whenever it was opened, it played that song. She'd barely had it for three weeks when my sister, Petunia, was having a look at it, and dropped it on accident. She blamed it on me.  
  
"It was the most beautiful thing my mother ever owned," she concluded, "and it was lost. Mum's a good woman, James, and she's never held a grudge. She pretends not to care, because it was just a music box. But it meant so much more to her than that - it was a gift from a dear friend. And sometimes... when she looks at me... I can tell she still believes _I'm_ the one who lost it for her."  
  
James studied Lily's profile. The look in her eyes was so distant, it was as if she was looking _through_ the fire on the hearth rather than into it.  
  
"I shouldn't feel so guilty," she said at length.  
  
James rose from his seat and moved nearer to Lily. He held out a hand to help her up. She stood, and James put an arm around her. "You're right," he said reassuringly. "You should never feel responsible for what Petunia did." He kissed her forehead, then paused for a moment, doing a bit of quick thinking.  
  
"Why don't we take a break from studying?" he suggested. "We could go see what Adrienne and Lucina are up to..."  
  
Lily shrugged. "I don't think I'm up to talking to them right now. Maybe we could go and see what your friends are up to? I thought today was the day Sirius was planning to put sleeping powder in Severus' drink..."  
  
"Itching powder in Snape's robes," James corrected with a laugh. "It should be rather amusing, want to come and watch?"  
  
"James, that's terrible." Lily agreed with James, it _did_ sound intriguing, but she tried to supress her smile. They were, after all, Head Girl and Boy. James said sheepishly, "I know."  
  
Lily finally gave in. "Oh, alright," said said, laughing out loud this time. "I don't suppose either of us should miss this." James took her arm and immediately began to pull her toward the portrait hole. "You won't regret it!" he exclaimed as they hurried down the corridor. He sounded so enthusiastic, like a little boy. "Sirius found some really neat stuff in Hogsmeade last weekend, he's been _itching_ to try it out..."  
  
"James!"  
  
"Okay, bad pun..."  
  



	2. Part Two

Sakura  
  
By Frog-Princess  
(ginny@darkcastle.com)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the music box and the plot; people and places belong to J. K. Rowling. This is just one of Emily's attempts at fanfiction.  
  
A/N: This chapter is predictable, sorry about that... ^_^;;; Hope it's good anyway.  
  
  
  
The storm had been going on for days. Everything outside Hogwarts castle was now under a blanket of glistening, velvety white snow. The skies had cleared up considerably, and it looked like the worst of it was over. A few delicate snowflakes continued to swirl almost lazily down to earth from the heavens above.  
  
It had been months since Lily told James about her mother's music box. She absent-mindedly sang "Sakura" under her breath every now and then, when she thought no one was listening. She believed that James had forgotten about the entire thing.  
  
"You guys finished with your Christmas shopping yet?" asked Sirius as James chose a card. The two were playing Exploding Snap, a card game that had been around for ages. Lily sat watching comfortably from her armchair, and Peter and Remus were standing beside her, though they were a good three feet away. They thought it wise to keep their distance in case the deck decided to spontaneously combust.  
  
James laughed. "Christmas isn't for another two weeks!" he said.  
  
"No offense, James, but I'd choose a better spot," Remus advised as James began to put down his card. "The deck's about to blow up in your face."  
  
"Thanks," said James. Sirius gave an impatient sigh.  
  
"You know," said Peter, sitting down on a small couch with a book in his hands, "two weeks isn't as much time as you think. Maybe you better start sending out those owl orders, James." He settled down and opened the book to read, but kept nervously glancing back to the game.  
  
"I still need to get something for my mum and dad," said Lily.  
  
"Finally!" Sirius exclaimed. It was his turn. The next moment, he was setting down his card when there was a very loud noise that echoed through the quiet common room. _BOOM_.  
  
The deck had blown up, leaving Sirius' face blackened and his eyebrows singed. Everyone else began to laugh hysterically as Sirius reached up to feel his face, now dirty and smudged.  
  
"Come on," said Remus, trying not to laugh. He patted Sirius on the back. "Let's go get that cleaned up. Come and help me, Peter."  
  
As they were leaving the room, Sirius mumbled something that sounded like, "I wanted to grow a beard!" Lily, chuckling, advised against it. She came up behind James, still laughing, and put her arms around him.  
  
When their laughter subsided, James admitted to Lily the reason his Christmas shopping wasn't done yet. As it turned out, he'd been having a bit of trouble finding a certain item.  
  
"But I finally managed to find the perfect gift," he said, grinning. "Wait here."  
  
Lily stared after him curiously as he dashed up the staircase. After a few seconds, he returned with a small present in his hands, which he gave to Lily. It was wrapped in shiny gold paper and tied with scarlet ribbon. She giggled as she took it from him. In all truth, it hadn't been wrapped very well, but it was - there was no other word for it - _cute_.  
  
"James," she said, "it's so sweet... but it's not even Christmas yet."  
  
"So?" replied James.  
  
"But I still have to give you your gift," Lily said.  
  
"So?" James repeated, smiling. "Just open it, Lily!"  
  
She started to tear at the wrapping. The edges were held together with a great deal of Spell-o-tape, but she finally got all of it off, and inside was a cardboard box. She looked up at James and lifted an eyebrow. "Open it," he prompted.  
  
It was another box.  
  
Not just any old box, but a gorgeous jewelry box - the smooth, chocolate brown wood was decorated with delicate pink blossoms. She opened it, and the inside was lined with deep red velvet.  
  
"James," she gasped.  
  
"Er... that's not all of it," said James nervously. James slowly took the box, tapped it with his wand, and whispered something so soft that Lily couldn't hear it. Her eyes misted over as James handed it back and told her to open it again... and this time, as if a tiny set of bells were sounding, "Sakura" began to play.  
  
She also noticed something that had not been inside the box before. There was a note, reading simply "_For my Lily._" She took the other item out of the box and examined it. Hanging from a single silver chain was a tiny cluster of intricate flowers, made of glass. Lilies.  
  
"James, how--"  
  
"D'you like it?"  
  
Lily tore her eyes from the necklace and stared up at James. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "Help me put it on." She turned so James could fasten it around her neck, gathering up her long, wavy auburn hair.  
  
"There," said James softly.  
  
Lily turned to face him, looking down at the floor. "James, no one has ever given me something like that," she said. "I thought you'd forgotten..."  
  
"You can give the box to your mum, if you want," James suggested quietly. "You could tell her the truth about what really happened, and you could make the box your gift to her... I'm sure she'd like it... I mean you don't have to, 'cause I'd like you to keep it - well... that's why I got it for you, so obviously... but... er, hey, did you know the lilies are made of glass? I put an enchantment them so they'll never break..."  
  
James had a habit of talking a lot when he was very nervous. Lily laughed through her tears, still looking at the floor. "I _am_ going to tell her the truth someday... but I could never bear to give away something you've given me, James."  
  
James gently lifted Lily's chin, and the two stared into each others' eyes for a moment. "Do you mean that?" James breathed.  
  
"Well... unless you really want me to," she teased.  
  
Lily threw her arms around James' neck, and James hugged her tightly around the waist. Their three friends had just entered the common room. Peter smiled; Sirius grinned, amused; Remus chuckled quietly. Exchanging knowing glances, they turned around and left the room without a word.   
  
But the couple wasn't aware of any of this. At that moment, they knew nothing of the light snow falling outside, or the fire that was still blazing in the fireplace. All they knew was a feeling of contentment embedded deep within their souls... that they had found each other and together made a perfect match.  
  
That there would never be "someone else."  
  
Just Lily and James.  
  



	3. Epilogue

Sakura  
  
By Frog-Princess  
(ginny@darkcastle.com)  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the music box and the plot; people, places etc. are property of J. K. Rowling.  
  
A/N: This chapter may be a bit confusing, but it's full of fluff for those of you H/G shippers. =) I didn't write this trying to be realistic, so please don't mention how this or that wouldn't work out; I've already mentioned that. Please read and review. Constructive criticism is fine, but please don't leave flames, for they shall be bottled and / or extinguished, muahaha.  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
  
At the age of nineteen, much had happened in Harry's short life. He'd had numerous encounters with dark magic, and had lost several of his classmates. There was much cause for grief. But he was determined to overcome all the hardship he'd struggled through in his youth.  
  
He saw his best friends nearly every day. He was still playing Quidditch. He was quite young, but very much in love, and engaged to his girlfriend of three and a half years. The date of their marriage was drawing nearer, and the wedding ceremony was to take place in a little less than a month.  
  
There was only one thing that he could never get over... his parents would have wanted to be at his wedding.  
  
The Weasleys would be coming, all of them - Arthur and Molly; Bill, Charlie, Percy, and the twins with their families; and then Ron and Hermione. Everything else would be wonderful... but Harry longed to be surrounded by _his_ family. The losses of classmates at Hogwarts, the second and final downfall of the Dark Lord - it had all left him so confused, and he was thinking more and more about his parents lately. He would never have any closure.  
  
Harry stood with his arms wrapped around his fiance. She leaned back against him comfortably, admiring the thin silver band on her finger. He gave her a gentle squeeze before turning her around to face him.  
  
"Ginny," he said softly. "I want to go to Godric's Hollow." He gazed at her intently as she watched him with her soft brown eyes.  
  
"Godric's Hollow," Ginny repeated softly. "Are you sure, Harry? You haven't been back there for at least three years..."  
  
"I know," said Harry. "But I think I've got to go back now. I can't explain it." He paused. "Like maybe I'm... supposed to go back." Ginny was going to think he was insane! "Will you come with me?"  
  
But Ginny only nodded, biting her bottom lip. "We'll go this afternoon. Is that okay?"  
  
"...Thanks, Gin."  
  
  
  
"This is it," said Harry, gazing at the spot where his old house had once stood. "This is where it happened..."  
  
"I wish they could come, too," Ginny murmured, patting Harry's arm.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder what they'd think if they were here."  
  
Ginny smiled and smoothed down a few tufts of Harry's unruly jet black hair. She could barely reach anymore; he'd gotten so much taller. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I know exactly how they'd feel."  
  
"And how's that?"  
  
"They'd take one look at you and immediately know you were their son. Harry, they'd be so proud." She gave him a small peck on the cheek.  
  
The summer heat was getting to them, so Harry and Ginny sat down in the shade of a tree. The leaves rustled over their heads. They continued to talk quietly for a few minutes until Ginny noticed something a few feet away from where they sat.  
  
"What is it?" she asked. She and Harry got up to see. Harry brushed away a fallen leaf and lifted a wooden box out of the tall grass. He looked uncertainly at Ginny before opening it. "Maybe someone lost it," he suggested, examining the box closely. "Perfectly intact... looks brand new, actually."  
  
He lifted the lid, and, as if on cue, soft, beautiful music began to play on its own. Inside the box was a single piece of paper, with three words scrawled across the middle:  
  
_For my Lily._  
  
Harry swallowed and went pale. He looked back at Ginny.  
  
"Ginny," he whispered. "I think this belonged to my mum."  
  
Her eyes widened and she let out a small gasp. "But... but how do you know?" Harry showed her the note. Ginny raised a hand to her mouth as she read it.  
  
After a moment, Harry took one last look at the note and put it back inside the box. "Take it," he said, offering the box to Ginny. Ginny shook her head. "Harry... I couldn't!"  
  
"Why not? We can't leave it here."  
  
"Harry, it's lovely... but... it was your mother's. It isn't right--"  
  
"D'you remember, just a little while ago, when I was wondering what my parents would be thinking if they were here right now?"  
  
Dreading the answer, Ginny gave a small nod.  
  
"I know what my mum would want. This had to have been a gift to her from my dad. And... she'd want the girl I love to have it."  
  
Ginny made no movement to take the box. Harry gently laid a hand on the side of Ginny's face. "I know she would. And so do I." He pressed the box into her hands, and Ginny looked down at it, stunned. Tears were forming in the corner of her eyes.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
The wind picked up, and a sudden breeze swept past, carrying with it the sweet, fragrant scent of fresh flowers. Harry felt as if a voice was speaking to him, yet he heard nothing. He glanced around, trying to find the speaker, but there was only Ginny, who hadn't spoken a word.  
  
"Yes," said Harry finally. "I think she just told me."  
  



End file.
